Here at Centred we have launched a fundraising campaign to allow a popular Caithness-born figure to return home permanently with her inspiring message.
An innovative arts project that we ran last year transformed a number of blank mannequins into pieces of thought-provoking art.
Working with us, artists used their own experiences to depict what the struggles of mental ill-health can look like.
Lisa Poulsen, an award-winning digital artist based in Thurso, uses textures of stone found on the north coastline to explore ways nature supports mental wellbeing.
As part of the project, she invited people to send photos of stones to decorate her mannequin and received hundreds of images and stories from around the world.
Each one was printed on vinyl, cut and applied by hand to create the one-off piece officially called Stone Stories, but affectionately now known as Maggie.
At the end of the project, Maggie returned to our head office in Inverness, but continued to attract interest with followers keen to see her return to her roots in Caithness.
After travelling more than 500 miles between exhibitions, including Eden Court in Inverness and Thurso Art Gallery, the mannequin has now moved back to the community where she was created.
Centred has now secured Maggie a home at Waterlines Heritage Museum and Gallery in Lybster, where she is on display.
Centred has a large presence in Caithness supporting vulnerable and isolated people through an extensive care at home service which reaches some of the most remote regions of the country.
We also provide a free drop-in service, The Discovery College, to support people in Caithness, as well as Inverness, with their mental ill-health, substance abuse and addiction issues.
We will now be working collaboratively with Waterlines on their upcoming project exploring identity, heritage and mental health. This project has been made possible through grant funding support from Museums & Galleries Scotland’s ‘Creative Minds’ programme. The programme will launch in early April and will be open to applications very soon. This makes Waterlines a perfect location to showcase Maggie once more.
As well as supporting Centred’s work throughout the region, visitors will be able to donate whatever they can towards finding keeping Maggie in Caithness.
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Lisa Poulsen said:
“When I heard Maggie was coming home, I burst into tears – who knew I’d grow so attached to a mannequin! She represents so much – not just the story of Centred and the vital work they do, but the stories people kindly shared through photos and words to help bring her message to life: that nature supports wellbeing. I’m delighted there’s a fundraising campaign to keep Maggie in Caithness. I hope visitors to Waterlines in Lybster enjoy meeting her and consider donating towards Centred and keeping Maggie’s message alive.”
Donna Booth, of Waterlines said:
“We are honoured to be able to provide a local home for Maggie. The messaging and imagery that Lisa has conveyed through Maggie has touched all of us and taps into our love of Caithness, its beauty, heritage and the struggles faced by our community.”
Christine Butchart, Marketing Manager of Centred said: “When Lisa gave her mannequin a name, it really brought Maggie into the hearts of so many of us, not just at Centred but throughout the communities in Caithness and beyond.
“We were delighted to find a beautiful location to display Maggie back home in Caithness, carrying with her the stories, reflections, and connections shared by so many people around the world.
“We hope locals and visitors alike in the region will get the opportunity to visit Maggie whilst helping raise funds for a great cause.”
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